How to Choose Furniture for Your Home Office

This entry was posted on November 17, 2017 by Order Office Furniture.

The first thing to consider when you pick furniture for your home office is how much space you have available. Do you have an entire room that you can dedicate to your home business or do you only have a space inside another room? Are you furnishing, for example, one section of a family room or do you just need a desk to add to the bedroom or a dining room?

If you have a small space in a corner, you might want to look at office furniture that is specially angled or curved and is designed to fit into corners. Other pieces will fit flat against a wall. If you have a whole room to furnish, like a basement or a spare bedroom, or if your living room is large enough to accommodate an office without interrupting your family's day to day lifestyle, you may want to go with larger pieces that fill an entire wall and have a nice, cohesive look.

Function

Most modern office furniture comes with an array of features. The furniture you choose will depend on how you plan to use them and which function stands out more on a particular piece. You'll need to decide if you require a large desk surface, or if you'd prefer something with lots of shelves for peripherals. Furniture on wheels is an excellent option if you think you may have to access it from the back to manage cables and wires etc. An L desk. Or a credenza, possibly coupled with another L desk, are good choices if you have enough space.

Style

The next thing to consider is style. You'll want your office furniture to be practical but in a form and colour that suits the surroundings. The scope is vast, from contemporary to traditional and transitional designs. Furnishings are available in dark wood finishes in modern styles, or in more casual, country styles with black, grey or white surfaces, and everything in between. These styles and tones will set a serious, professional tone, but if you're looking to create a more cheerful atmosphere, you can go for red, apple green, bright white or ivory.

Chair

Chairs are an essential factor when you decide which office furniture to buy. Office chairs should take into account two primary considerations; it should be comfortable for the user through the day and whatever the posture. The second consideration is that you should be able to access all corners of your desk while seated in the chair. The covering of the chair is also significant. A lot of people prefer leather chair covers, but other people may be allergic to leather and so will prefer some kind of fabric on their chair. Another drawback is that you might tend to slip out of a leather chair when you are sat on the front edge, which is why manufacturers also produce leather chairs that are rough at the base but have a smooth finish on the back and armrests.

Lighting

When it comes to lighting your home workspace brighter is not always better. Bright overhead lighting can wash out images on your computer screen. Task lighting, window blinds and shades, light diffusers, removing bulbs to reduce brightness and other adjustments can all help tone down light that is too bright. Sometimes, you may have to reposition your monitor to improve visibility or reduce glare.

Some work from homers like to place the back of their monitors in front of windows so they can gaze out the window while they are working. But the resulting contrast problems can make it difficult to clearly see what's on your pc screen. Ideally, your monitor should be placed where it receives direct light at the right angle. As often as possible you should avoid situations where there is a lot of contrast between dark and light in your workspace, on the pc screen, and in the room.

One easy way to avoid eye strain is to stick to the 20/20/20 rule. After 20 minutes of work stop and stare for 20 seconds at something at least 20 feet away. If you don't have the luxury of a window, try hanging a distant view picture or painting on the wall furthest from your desk.

Colour

Colour can play a crucial role in how a space is perceived, and your home office is no different. Warm colours tend to stimulate and evoke excitement. Cooler colours are more calming and soothing. Blue-greens, pastels or softer, muted tones are ideal for your workspace. Think of the colours you might see on a misty, foggy morning. Of course, colours affect our moods and even our productivity, so you may want to try different tones before you settle on any one particular shade for your home office walls.

Hacks

Corporate offices are generally a little cold and antiseptic, but you don't want your home office to be like that. Here are ten hacks for your home office that will help you feel comfortable and motivated and allow you to get the most out of working from home:

Fill your office with natural materials like wood, leather and add some plants.

Try building your own desk with affordable countertops.

Create an accent wall with coloured wallpaper.

Use more than on PC screen and raise to eye level.

Use a gaming mouse for optimal comfort.

Invest in an ergonomic chair.

Use coloured cabinets for stylish storage.

Use double-sided velcro to keep cables organised.

Boost the Wi-Fi in your home office.

Use warm light from a stylish table lamp.

Working from home gives you the opportunity to create the kind of workspace you always wanted. You can make it a space where you feel relaxed but is still functional enough to keep you motivated and keen to make your business a success. All it takes is a little bit of planning and a generous portion of creativity. But best of all, setting up and decorating your very own workspace can be a whole load of fun. Enjoy!